


Of Living and Survival

by combeferre_writer01



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Ellie and Audrey, F/F, I take pride in that, Tess is sort of like a mother..., baby!Audrey is adorable, father!Joel, kind of slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 12:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21374305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/combeferre_writer01/pseuds/combeferre_writer01
Summary: Three years after the outbreak, a woman leaves Joel with an infant daughter--the result of a one night stand. When Audrey's 17, Joel and Tess bring her along when they go talk to Robert since Joel refuses to leave her home alone. As Audrey and Ellie get to know each other better, emotions grow as well.
Relationships: Ellie & Joel (The Last of Us), Ellie (The Last of Us)/Original Character(s), Joel (The Last of Us)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Of Living and Survival

**Author's Note:**

  * For [My little sister--Mary--who proofreads for me](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=My+little+sister--Mary--who+proofreads+for+me).

Joel was reclined on his couch for ten minutes before there was a knock on his door. He groaned as he sat up before standing to answer it. The knock came again. 

“I’m comin’.” He opened the door and was unpleasantly surprised to see a red-headed woman leaning on the wall across from his door with a bundle of blankets. “Evelyn?” 

“Heya, Joel. I need you to take care of this for me.” She gently handed him the bundle of blankets. The feeling of the weight, how she supported the top of the bundle sent shivers down Joel’s spine. 

“What the hell-” 

“She’s your kid too. I can’t take care of her.” 

“What- How old is she?” Joel gently untucked the sleeping girl’s face with one hand, making sure she was held securely against his body with his arm. 

“Five hours.”

“Should you be up and walking?” He looked back up from the infant to the mother. 

“Probably not. But I can’t take care of her. Not with everything else that’s goin’ on, Joel. You’re stronger ‘an I’ll ever be. She’ll be safe with you. Just promise me you’ll take care of her.” 

“Yeah. I’ve got her. What’s her name.” 

“Ain’t got one.” Evelyn turned to leave. 

“Do you wanna come in and lie down a bit?”

Evelyn let out a pained laugh. “Last time you asked me that nine months ago I ended up with her grownin’ inside me. I’ll pass.” She closed the door, clearly ending the conversation, and went on her way. 

Joel went back and sat on the couch, the small infant cradled safely and warmly in his arms. “What to name you…” He looked at the baby’s face. “I wish you’d open your eyes so I could see ‘em.” He gently caressed her cheek. 

There were two quick knocks on the door before Tommy walked in the door. 

“Just saw Evelyn walking down the hall- Who’s this?” He leaned down a little to see the baby better. 

“My daughter.” Joel didn’t take his eyes off the little girl. “Evelyn came by, handed me her, an’ left.” 

“Well damn, Big Brother.” Tommy laughed. The laugh woke the infant and she opened her eyes before yawning. Her honey eyes meeting Joel’s grey-brown ones. 

“Well good afternoon, Audrey.” 

“Got anything you need for her?” 

“Not even close. I didn’t know Evelyn was coming over. I ain’t got anything she’s gonna need. I’ll talk to Tess when she comes by later an’ see what she can scrape up.” 

“You know, you could just give her-”

“No. I’m keeping her. I need her as much as she needs me. An’ I ain’t losin’ her like I lost Sarah. I’m not gonna let that happen. She’s my baby girl and I ain’t lettin’ her go.” Joel readjusted how he was sitting and Audrey cooed. 

“How’d you pick the name Audrey?” 

“She looks like an Audrey,” Joel shrugged. 

The baby’s wide eyes roamed around the room and Joel was amazed at how quiet she was being. She was making a soft humming sound, but not much more than that. Finally, her eyes landed on Tommy. 

“Hey there, little one.” He smiled. 

Audrey squirmed and pressed turner her tiny head towards Joel and the older of the brothers nodded. 

“Little scared of Uncle Tommy?” 

The brothers looked at each other. Neither of them had heard that title since that night three years ago and it caught them both off guard. 

Joel leaned his head down and pressed his forehead against his daughter’s. “Hi, Baby Girl.”

* * *

Four months passed and Joel was growing more and more attached to the little girl. He spent as much time as he possibly could with the little girl. He fed her, napped with her, and slept with her on his bed. He knew he had to be careful, but he also knew there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of him getting a crib. He made sure she was safely positioned and warm. The first night she was on his bed with him, Joel hardly slept because he wanted to make sure she was safe and was going to make it through the night. 

Joel was lying on the floor on his back, Audrey laying on his chest. He was languidly playing with her, and she caught his finger. She showed no interest in letting go any time soon, so they were just laying on the floor together. 

After a half-hour or so, Joel started dozing off. What woke him up with a start was Aurdey rolling off of him and onto the floor, his finger still tightly grasped in her hand. 

“What’re you doing, Baby Girl?” he chuckled. She giggled, show a toothless smile. 

She tried rolling over again, but the hand she was holding stopped her action. 

Joel didn’t even try to stop himself from grinning. “Look at you goin’, Audrey. Strong enough to roll over now.” He scooped her up and pressed a kiss to the top of her head before sitting up. “So strong, Baby Girl.” 

Tommy walked in. “what’d she do?” 

“Rolled over.” Joel smiled at his brother. Audrey gurgled and Joel chuckled. “I didn’t forget you. Don’t worry, Baby Girl.” 

“Joel, I got something I need to tell you.” Tommy tried to keep any and all emotion off his face. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Tess was on the streets today and the military was doing one of their raids-”

“Tess-”

“She’s okay. She’s not hurt and got away. She’s safe, don’t worry.” Tommy scratched the back of his neck. “Tess did see the raid, though. Evelyn got bit and they killed her today.” 

Joel looked at the floor for a few seconds, not really sure of what to say. He hadn’t been close to her. They spent one night together and it was enough to bring Little Audrey into his life. He didn’t feel saddened by the woman’s death. He just hoped he’d be able to build a close enough relationship with his daughter that she wouldn’t miss her mother. 

“We’ll be okay.” He nodded. “I’ve got her.” 

“You know, Joel? I was kinda confused about why you were keepin’ her. I think I get it now. She ain’t gonna replace Sarah… But you need a daughter.” Tommy sat on the floor a couple of feet across from his brother. 

Joel chuckled. “Is that you sayin’ you actually wanna hold her now?” 

“Yes.” 

“I figured as much.” Joel chuckled. He adjusted how he was holding Audrey and held her out to Tommy. “There ya go, Little Brother.” 

Tommy hugged the little girl to his chest and smiled when she gurgled. “Hello, Tate.” 

“Tate?” Joel made a weird face. “Where the hell did  _ Tate _ come from?” 

“Potatoe.” The tone in Tommy’s voice made it sound like the idea was obvious.

“What are you on about, Tommy?” Joel shook his head. He was half tempted to take his daughter and retreat to his room so they could take a nap. Audrey was starting to sleep more soundly through the night, but that didn’t mean he was allowed to sleep the whole night through yet. 

“She just...that’s her. Potato.” Tommy said. He held Audrey by the underarms so she was facing Joel, her tiny legs kicking and arms reaching out to him. 

“Hey! Watch her head.” Joel snapped. 

“She’s fine,” Tommy dismissed. “Doesn’t she look like a potato?”

“Nope.” Joel took his daughter back into his arms and nuzzled his nose against Audrey’s. “You’ve won over your Uncle Tommy, Baby Girl.”

* * *

Tess held the babbling toddler as she bounced up on her knees. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do with the little one, but Joel and Tommy needed to handle something and couldn’t leave the tiny human alone. Joel made it clear that Tess was the only one he trusted with his daughter and didn’t feel the need to threaten the young adult to keep the girl safe. 

“What the fuck does a baby even do?” Tess asked. 

Audrey giggled and blew a spit bubble. 

“Can you do anything other than blow spit bubbles?” Tess sighed. She sat the baby on the floor and watched the tiny human as she kept bouncing. 

Audrey tilted her head to the side and Tess got the weird feeling that the baby fully understood her. The teen shook her head and laughed at herself. 

“You don’t know what I’m saying. You’re just a baby.” 

Tess heard the handle wiggle and instantly reached for her gun, aiming it at the door. The door opened and Joel put his hands up. 

“Just me, Tess.” 

“You didn’t do the knock.” She pouted. 

Audrey turned to look at the source of her father’s voice. 

“Hey Baby Girl,” Joel smiled down at his daughter, walking closer to her. 

Audrey put both hands on the floor before pushing herself to her feet. Joel watched in awe as the tiny girl held herself up on her own two legs for a few seconds before she fell on her butt. Joel scooped her up in his arms when her bottom lip started to tremble. 

“No, no, don’t cry. You’re doing good, Baby Girl.” Joel tickled the girl’s belly softly and she giggled, kicking her feet. 

“She really likes to bounce, huh?” Tess stood from where she had been kneeling, tucking her pistol back into the waistband of her jeans. 

“It’s her favourite thing to do other than sucking my finger.” 

Tess giggled at the weird wording. “Do I have to watch her again?” 

“Not today,” Joel smirked at the annoyed look the teen gave him.

Tess wasn’t much younger than Joel and he forgot sometimes. He’d fathered two kids. He forgot how young he was. He was only 19 when Sarah was born. When the outbreak happened, he had been 32. Now, three years after, he was 35. He reckoned Tess had to be 20 or 21 now. 

Joel rarely knew how to feel. He was so young when Sarah was born that he didn’t have time for a lot of the things his friends did. Getting drunk at college parties, going to college, any of that. His mom took care of Sarah during the day and he went to work. As Sarah got older, she was able to take care of herself. Joel had made sure when he bought the house that it was close to the school. That way, he could drop her off in the morning on his way to work and she could walk home at the end of the day. 

There were times when Joel still didn’t know how to feel. He was 35 with his second child. He still needed help looking after her so he could deal with idiots like Robert. One thing he didn’t need to question was whether or not he was going to send Audrey to the Military School he was supposed to in the QZ. That wasn’t going to happen. He had decided the day he saw her that he was going to homeschool her. He could read and write, do everyday math and basic architecture. It got him this far, how much more do you need?

* * *

“Tommy!” Joel grinned when his younger brother came into the apartment. 

“What’s up, Big Brother?” 

“Ya gotta hear this. She’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Joel said. He adjusted how Audrey was sitting on his lap so the tiny girl was facing sitting with both legs draped over one of Joel’s. “What’s your name, Baby Girl?” 

“Auddie.” 

Tommy chuckled. “Tate the Otter.” 

“Auddie,” she corrected. 

Joel laughed. “My little Auddie the Otter. You’re right.” 

“Which one of us?” Tommy teased. 

“Sure as hell ain’t you. You’re still callin’ her Tate.” Joel picked Audrey up under her arms looked at her. Audrey wrapped her tiny hand around Joel’s nose. “Still doesn’t look like a potato.” The toddler in his hands giggled at the nasally voice. 

“Daddy Audder.” 

“You are too adorable for this world.” He nuzzled his nose against hers.

* * *

“Miller!” Audrey looked up from her notebook when someone yelled her last name. 

“What’s up, Steven?” 

“What do you call Joel?” 

“Daddy… Why?” She furrowed her brow, watching the boy started laughing with his friend. “What’s funny ‘bout that?” 

“You’re what, 13?”

“14. What does my age have to do with anything?” 

“You’re 14 and still call your old man Daddy?” Steven’s friend was still laughing loudly. “What are you, a wimpy bitch?” 

“I’m sure as hell tougher than you,” she scoffed, looking back to her notebook. 

“You’re gonna make a claim like that without proving it?” Steven asked. “Only someone that’s scared would do that.” 

“I don’t gotta prove anything to you is the thing.” Audrey closed her notebook and stood up. “I’ve got better to do than sitting here and listen to you run your suck.” 

“Running home to Daddy, baby?” Steven laughed. 

Without dropping her notebook, Audrey turned on her heel and punched Steven, his head whipping to the side. She didn’t turn or run but looked to Steven’s friend instead. “Tough enough for ya.” 

“You’re not all that special.” Steven’s friend went to punch her but Audrey ducked and tripped the boy in the process, knocking him to the ground. She looked to where Steven was standing, holding his bleeding nose. 

“I told ya. I’m tougher than you. Don’t go bullying’ people ‘cause they look smaller than you. They just might shock you. I’d love to know how your friends react to hearin’ a girl who still calls her old man Daddy broke your nose.” Audrey turned to go, waving over her shoulder as she walked away. “Go wash yourself off.”

When she was out of sight of the two boys, she hissed at the stinging in her hand from when she cut her hand on Steven’s tooth. She simply shook her hand and started back home to Joel so she could write in peace. 

Joel wasn’t home when she walked in the door so she laid on the couch on her stomach and started writing again. She’d been trying to work on an essay for the homeschooling Joel had set up for her. She liked being homeschooled compared to some of the stories about the military school she heard from the kids in the QZ. 

When Joel came home, Audrey had moved to the kitchen table and fell asleep there, pencil in hand. From a distance, he thought she was holding her pencil differently but figured it had gone limp in her grasp when she fell asleep. Getting closer, he could make the dried blood and got worried. 

“Audrey, baby?” Joel shook her, his heart clenched tight. “Honey, wake up.”

Audrey hummed and rubbed her eyes. “Huh? Daddy, you’re back.” 

“What happened to your hand, Baby? You were bleeding.” 

“Most of it isn’t my blood.” 

“Auddie-”

“I didn’t get bit. Well, not by an Infected. It wasn’t even a bite. I uh… I punched Steven and either his mouth happened to be open or I punched him harder than I thought and he’s going to have problems.” 

Joel shook his head. “Why’d you punch him?” 

“‘Cause he had it comin’. He was making fun of me and I didn’t feel like listening to it. I tried walking away and he kept goin’, so I hit him.” 

Joel sighed and scratched the underside of his chin. “What was he sayin’? ‘Cause I swear, if I hear from  _ anybody _ that he was-” 

“No, no, no. It wasn’t anything like that. I handled it, Dadd- I handled it.” 

“Well, c’ mere. I’ll clean up your hand and see if you need gauze or somethin’.” Joel held his hand out to his daughter and she took it, letting him lead her to the bathroom. He helped her climb up on the bathroom counter so he could more easily tend to her hand. “Damn you’re gettin’ big.” 

Audrey didn’t say anything and stared at her feet as she started swinging them. Joel could tell there was something wrong and he could only assume it had to do with the boy she was talking about. 

“What’s on your mind, baby?” Joel inquired. He was hoping Audrey wasn’t at the age where she’d start closing him out. Sarah had never gotten to that age and he found himself getting more and more worried that something was going to happen to Audrey. She was 14 now and he was hoping to anything holy that she’d be safe and live a longer, happy life. 

“It’s nothing, Dad.” 

That was odd. She hardly ever called him ‘Dad.’ Daddy was highly normal, but not Dad. She only ever called Dad if she was annoyed with him or needed his attention faster. 

“If it’s nothin’, then why not say it?” he tried to trick her. Audrey just shook her head. Joel knew better than to pry more. If Audrey wanted to tell him in the end, she would. 

Joel wet a cloth and set to clean the dried blood from around the area. The silence between them wasn’t awkward, but it was strained. Joel could sense Audrey wanted to ask him something but didn’t know how to ask it. He decided to just wait and let her find her own voice. It didn’t take long. 

“Daddy?” 

“Yeah, baby girl?” 

“Is it weird that I still call you Daddy even though I’m 14?” 

“I don’t reckon it is. I called my dad Daddy till the day he died and I was… Oh, 20? 22? Doesn’t bother me that you still call me Daddy.” 

“It really isn’t weird?” 

“Not where I grew up. I’ve told you about Texas, haven’t I? About before the outbreak?” 

“Mhm.”

“Well, most people in Texas called their parents Mommy and Daddy well into adulthood. Typically, we called our grandparents Pawpaw and Mawmaw.” Joel chuckled a little. “I’m guessin’ it’s a regional thing.” 

“Like how you call me baby girl and other dads call their daughters Pumpkin?” 

“Just like that.” Joel nodded. 

“I think I like baby girl better.” 

“I do too. Pumpkin,” Joel scoffed. “That’s almost as bad as Tate.” 

“But I still answer to it for some reason.” Audrey shook her head. She paused. “That’s why I punched Steven… He said I was a wussy because I still call you Daddy. I told him I was stronger than him and tried to leave. He pretty much said I was a coward so I punched him and tripped his friend. The only hit they got in was me scraping my knuckle off Steven’s face.” 

Joel couldn’t stop himself from laughing at his daughter’s story. It was just so out there...and oddly so her. He wasn’t shocked by her telling of the story but still thought it was funny. “You’re stronger than  _ you _ think. NOt just physically. Don’t let people like that get you down, Auddie.”

* * *

Joel looked over his shoulder to where the door of the sutler shop slammed open and shut. “Careful, there buddy. You’re gonna break the little bell.” 

“I bone to pick with you, Miller.” 

“Someone usually does.” Joel turned to face man. “What’s up?” 

“Your kid broke my boy’s nose.” 

“Ah. You’re...Steven’s dad? Should’ve expected this, really. Look…”

“Ryan.”

“Look, Ryan, my daughter was showing your son that she’s not one to be fucked with, and that’s how I raised her. She don’t gotta take shit from anyone--including your son. If it makes ya feels any better, she scraped her knuckles on his teeth and scared the hell outta me.” 

“Wait...your  _ daughter _ broke my boy’s nose?” 

“Steven didn’t tell you it was Audrey? She’s the only kid I’ve got right now.” Joel folded his arms over his chest. 

“N-No. Just said your kid…” 

“Well, that’s my kid. Her name’s Audrey and she’s mighty friendly when no-one’s being picked on. She’s gotten into fights in the past and so far, all of them have been over someone bullying someone else. She doesn’t take shit from anyone and she doesn’t let anyone else take shit either. Your boy was making fun of my girl and she showed him he just can’t be doin’ that.”

“Do you...know what Steven was teasing her about?”

“Remember from ‘fore the outbreak different regions of the country spoke differently?” 

“Yeah. I’m from the midwest. Lots of odd words an’ phrases.” 

“I’m from Texas ‘case you couldn’t tell from everything about me.” Joel scratched the underside of his chin. “‘Cause of the dialects and’ Audrey growin’ up around me an’ my little brother, she talks kinda like we do. Parta that means she calls me Daddy. I don’t have a problem with it. Hell, I told her last night I called my ol’ man Daddy till the day he died when I was in my 20s. She never had a problem with calling me that til your boy said she was weak. She tried leavin’, he called her a coward, and she showed him not to fuck with him.” 

“That’s…”

“That’s what happened.” Joel nodded, leaning against the shelf behind him. “I ain’t gonna punish my little girl for standing up to a bully.” 

Ryan nodded. “I don’t want ya to. I’m gonna be havin’ a talk with my son, though.” Ryan scratched the back of his head. “Sorry I came bargin’ in here, Miller. I just-”

“Hey man, you’re a father. I get it. Ya can’t be too protective in this fucked up world. I ain’t got nothin’ against how ya handled this. If I heard someone hurt my little girl, I probably woulda torn into them without waitin’ to listen like you did.” 

Ryan chuckled. “You seem like a man that’s got a number of stories about your kid.” 

“She’s been a handful, alright.” Joel chuckled. “She’s doin’ her best at bein’ a kid, though.” 

“She goes to school here?” 

“Not a snowman’s chance in hell. I’m schoolin’ her. She ain’t gonna be able to do any of that fancy military math, but she can do everyday shit. She’s better at balancing my books than I am by this point.” 

“How’d you get away with it?” Ryan’s face showed his surprise clearly on his face. 

“Never registered her in their damned books. They knew she’s alive an’ everything but they don’t know how old she is. An’ they’re not gonna.” 


End file.
